Path to exile:The reaper
by menofwarhide
Summary: While Alistravia tells the story of a campaign with the death lord other brothers begin to make their moves in an attempt to stop her from leaving.


Path to exile part 2: don't fear the reaper

 **The primarchs**

 **Alistravia Tempera – the water maiden and Primarch of the 2** **nd**

 **Mortarion – the death lord and primarch of the 14** **th**

 **Fulgrim – the Phoenician and primarch of the 3** **rd**

 **Konrad Curze – the night haunter and primarch of the 8** **th**

 **Leaman Russ – the wolf king and primarch of the 6** **th**

 **Lion El Johnson – The first and primarch of the 1** **st**

 **Sanguinius – the angel and primarch of the 9** **th**

 **The immortal twins**

 **Kyros pel – first captain 2** **nd** **legion**

 **Gigas pel – Master captain of the maidens shield**

 **The 2** **nd**

 **Sankara Qualm – Chief librarian and equerry to Alistravia**

 **Nev thou – Chief apothecary**

 **Velar Breton – Guardian of knowledge and the maidens son**

 **Gerik thou – captain 6** **th** **company**

 **Rebus – captain 7** **th** **company**

 **The 14** **th**

 **Typhus - 1** **st** **captain**

 **Talarius – captain**

 **Lusaka – captain**

 **Other imperial personnel**

 **Admiral marten – Fleet admiral for the 2** **nd**

Prologue

Alistravia had summoned most of her senior officers to her personal conference room after the end of the days session. They had sealed the room and were waiting on her to say something as she paced about.

"Well that didn't go as well as I thought" She said eventually

"Lord Russ was always unlikely accept your request and there is still time, no vote takes place until the very end" Sankara said watching her pace about

"It's not just him, the Lion paid me a visit and through that I am starting to see how much of an impossible task this could be" Alistravia responded

"Perhaps we should try a new strategy" Kyros said as he fiddled with an ornate tea pot

"and what would that be?" Gigas asked from his position by the door

"the first time we saw what might become of the imperium..."

"there's no might about it" Alistravia said interrupting her first captain before letting him Finnish

Kyros nodded.

"the first time we saw a glimpse of what will be was on the planet of storms but we wrongly assumed that speaking about an example of future division would make them see us as a catalyst and allow us to leave but perhaps instead we simply tell them each of a unique campaign demonstrating each of their individual doctrines to show just how fractured they truly are"

"that just might work" Sankara responded "they are all so different that perhaps by highlighting that weakness we might sway enough of them to make this work...mother?"

Alistravia finally stopped pacing and looked around the room.

"It sounds like our best chance, so who do we begin with?"

"We should start with whoever gives us an opening" Sankara responded

The amphitheater.

The next days session began with the arbiter requesting the primarchs keep their emotions in check after Fulgrim's out burst the day before.

"Alis a question if I may?" Sanguinius asked once the arbiter had finished

"Ask away brother" She responded

"If we do vote in your favor... where will you go?"

"An excellent question brother... I will go beyond the star-burst nebula and then even further if possible"

"And what will you do there" Konrad said joining in the conversation

"create a home and explore... what more is there?"

"Conquest" Angron said before anyone else could speak "something you are not as skilled in as are we, no offense Alis"

"there is none taken Angron and yes I am not a strategist like some of you are but I do not intend to conquer every world I find"

"why not?" Angron asked

"Because that is not how I do things, I will not just attack a world out right as many of you do and..."

"Unless they offend you some how" Mortarion interrupted

Alistravia turned to look at Mortarion with narrowed eyes and smiled inside as she recognized an opening as Sankara had put it.

"You are talking about KN457 and it's shield moon, a campaign I have not forgotten... and neither have you I am sure"

An exterminator

More of the creatures erupted from the ground ridden by their human handlers, six legged insect monsters of different shapes. Some had wings others massive scything mandibles that they used to crush prey which in this case was a retreating company of sea devils who had pulled back after they landed on the shield moon and had found themselves under attack by giant insects.

Initially the assault had gone well but after several hours the ground had opened up in specific places and thousands of insects some ridden by humans swarmed out. The insects of all different kinds had fallen on the sea devils, flying ones buzzed about harassing the gun ships of the second legion and those confined to the ground had swarmed the marines killing many and pushing the rest back towards the drop site. The call to retreat from the first captain had not surprised Gerik one bit as he ran back towards the storm birds chased by two of the bugs.

Gerik shot off a rider of a six legged beetle looking insect that continued to charge until it exploded from the salvo fire of a devastator group.

"All units get back to the storm birds, were leaving"

"Gerik you can't be serious" Rebus shouted over the vox

"If we stay we will be slaughtered" he shouted back as a bipedal bug not ridden charged at him

Gerik dodged as the monster lunged at him with two spiny barbed legs, he parried the first severing it's appendage but the creature batted him aside with ease using it's remaining arm before charging over to stomp on him but a hail of bolter rounds cut it to shreds. Rebus ran over to help him up.

"I thought you said we were leaving" he joked as a storm bird landed close by it's guns chewing up other advancing insects

"We most definitely are"

Ahab's Rage

The main briefing room consisted of a round hololith table displaying scans of the surface along with other vid screens around the room which were displaying the different examples of the bugs that lived on this shield moon. They had called it a shield moon after learning the humans on the main planet were protected by a shield being projected somewhere from inside the moon the only problem was when they had landed forces to knock out the shield they found it to be infested with insects under the control of the humans and no matter how many they killed more would come until they were so overwhelmed they had needed to pull out before losing too many marines.

The senior officers had assembled for what was likely to be a a tense meeting. First was Admiral marten who was examining some of the insects on the vid screens. Second was Nev thou, brother to Gerik he was chief apothecary and had been quite busy in the medical labs after the retreat fixing injured marines. Third was Sankara qualm Alistravia's equerry who was watching the door to the room. Velar stood close to the admiral studying the bugs as well. Beside him stood Gigas who was looking out the window at the bright orange moon. Finally was his brother and first captain Kyros who was watching replays of the failed assault on the moon, he him self leading the first company had run into a mixture of flying and crawling bugs that were strong enough to crush terminator armor.

"here she comes" Sankara said and they all stood to attention as Alistravia entered the room looking more annoyed than she had at the beginning of this campaign when she had returned from her visit to the main planet.

Alistravia was not happy after the king of this world had insulted her and spat on her offer of peace so much so she had immediately ordered the attack on the moon to knock out the shield so they could take the planet but now that had also failed she was getting angrier and an angry Alistravia was not someone who thought clearly.

"So would you like to explain to me why we just retreated from a bunch of insects?"

"mother we tried but no matter how many we kill they have hundreds if not thousands to replace them" Kyros said "we couldn't risk getting our forces lost to a bunch of bugs, we need a new plan"

"Orbital bombardment?" she responded looking at the admiral

"I am afraid it would have little effect as our scans show the nests are buried very deep"

"Well then what are we supposed to do? Because I will not accept a loss!" Alistravia shouted and the room fell silent until Sankara spoke

"Mother... you need to calm down"

Alistravia was about to say something until she saw her reflection on the surface of the glass of the window.

"You are right, I apologize... but I won't let this world beat me"

"none of us will" The admiral said "But we need to think of a better strategy before we attack again"

"I am open to suggestions" Alistravia responded

The room was silent for a while before Gigas spoke.

"Could we try teleporting or dropping closer to the nests?"

"brother we made it to the opening of one and it was swarming with those things, imagine what the inside would be like" Kyros responded

"Plus we only scanned a dozen or so that had become active when we attacked. Imagine how many more are just waiting to wake up" The admiral said pointing at a holo representation of one of the nests

"It's an infestation" velar spoke interrupting what the admiral was going to say next

"We can see that brother" Nev said giving a respectful nod to the old Terran born marine "the question is how do we solve it"

"I believe I have a solution"

"go on" Alistravia responded

"centuries ago during what humanity thought was the peak of it's civilization, when they were still confined to old Terra. Food was wasted en mass by the ever growing populace so much so it attracted rodents, insects and other pests"

The room listened as the old marine spoke of time long before any of them, he knew his history and had studied it at great lengths. He had become a very wise old marine who studied the cultures of every planet they found and even the cultures of the other primarchs home worlds.

"These vile things would infest homes and other buildings sometimes burrowing their nests or building them in places humans would struggle to reach so a particular job role was created that would allow a human skilled in their destruction access to these places to defeat them with gas or some other form of poison or trap"

"So what your saying is..."

"...We need to call an exterminator"

The death lord

The death guard fleet broke from the warp two days after they had been initially contacted, hundreds of ships of all sizes lined up next to the sea devils vessels their knife like shape in stark contrast to the whale shaped warships of the second.

Some of them moved in formation to assist in blocking human reinforcements from the main planets surface while the rest laid siege to the shield moon.

Alistravia had not seen Mortarion in many years and two full companies lined up in the docking bay with the banners of the second and fourteenth legions hung from the metallic panel walls and girded ceilings. It was normally her brothers who would put on displays like this for her when she would arrive to act as ambassador so she felt it only fair she welcome them in the same manner when she requested their help.

The two companies had created a corridor where at the end stood Alistravia in a white and green dress, the colors of the death guard. As well as Kyros and Gigas plus the maidens shield and Sankara who watched as the storm bird carrying the death lord landed at the other end of the company formed corridor of space marines.

The ramp from the drop ship lowered and as it hit the floor with a light thud the corridor of astartes presented their weapons in salute as figures emerged from the storm bird. The first to emerge was Mortarion's first captain. Typhus, his armor in the dirty white and green colors of the death guard. He was big and bulky making him a monster sized looking marine. He carried a scythe in one hand, helm off showing his unshaven face as he marched out followed by Mortarion's death shroud bodyguard also carrying scythes and behind them came their charge.

Mortarion appeared hunched as if wounded but that wasn't the case, it was simply the bulk of his armor combined with his dark black cloak that made him appear hunched. He had opted not to wear his re-breather over the lower half of his face knowing the pure air of the sea devils vessel had no inert toxins not that it would prevent him from wearing it if he so chose.

Barbarus, his home world, was a hellish planet of poisonous fogs and almost constant nights so to survive there had required the humans of that world to really struggle for their lives against an oppressive group who lived on the mountains above the poison, a stark contrast to the clean and sealed environments of Estrella.

Despite his regular wearing of the re-breather his face remained unmarked giving him a crescent shaped face with sunken eyes, his stare was always sullen and he always looked as if hope would never come. Even the night haunter looked cheerful at times but Mortarion never seamed joyful even when victory was so great it required celebration.

A mixture of short and long exhausts stuck out from underneath his cloak, normally they would be expelling the toxins from the air around him but with none to expel they remained silent. In his right arm he held "silence" his signature weapon, a scythe with incredible power. Lantern, his pistol, sat next to a row of phosphex grenades on his belt and they jingled slightly as he walked. From behind him a few more senior officers of the death guard followed looking around at the turquoise and green warriors saluting them from either side.

As he reached Alistravia the death shroud parted to allow him to pass between them and approach his sister.

"greeting brother it has been far too long" Alistravia spoke stepping forward arms out to embrace the death lord who returned the gesture with some reluctance

"It has been a desire of mine to see you again sister so this is a welcome summons" As the death Lord spoke he almost sounded sincere but Alistravia knew much of it was simply to save face

It wasn't that they didn't get along or had arguments of the likes she had with Rogal, it was simply that the Death Lord liked to be left alone to do things his way.

"you remember my triumvirate of commanders, Kyros my first captain" She said indicating the golden haired marine "My personal bodyguard Gigas and of course my equerry Sankara Qualm"

"Of course and you remember my first captain, Typhus" he responded as the three marines bowed

"It is a pleasure as always my lady"

Typhus was formal where Mortarion wasn't, not that Alistravia cared, she hated formality unless absolutely necessary.

"Before we discuss the campaign let's speak privately shall we" Alistravia said indicating Mortarion to follow

"lead on sister"

The journey to Alistravia's private meeting room was done in silence, other brothers were more forth coming with conversation but Mortarion seamed to have little to say, at least until they passed through the doors in to the grand meeting room.

It was a large room with many primarch sized chairs, although few of them ever sat down. A grand fireplace was set in the center with a holographic fire roaring, the thermal emitter behind it producing the feel of heat. Several tables littered the room and a large viewing port looked out on the two fleets. Cabinets filled with books and other items were dotted along the walls and a table full of wines and spirits from each primarchs home world sat close to the entrance where Mortarion began pouring himself wine.

"So Alis have you seen the others recently?"

"The Khan and I crossed paths a few months back, we spent a week exchanging goods and stories. Have you seen any of our brothers recently?"

"I tried to work with that fool Angron but he is too much of an animal to enjoy pleasantries with"

"Angron can be a challenge yes but his aggression is not his fault, it's those nails in his head" Alistravia spoke as she poured her own wine from the selection at the table

"can't you fix that?" The death Lord asked walking around the room and stopping to look at a painting of a nebula

"He won't let myself or father even try, I worry it could kill him one day"

"Perhaps in time he will change that decision for help"

"perhaps... but I think his rage will consume him first, I can't always be there to calm him down and he loses control far too quickly" Alis said running her finger along the top of her glass as if in deep thought "he needs help"

"Is that affection sister?" The Death Lord asked as he looked at her

"You think we shouldn't care about each other? Would it bother you if I said I worried about you or any of the others?" Alis fired the questions out rapidly and the Death Lord shook his head

"you misunderstand Alis, it is rare I see affection in any of my siblings and with you having such a cold scientific mind I always felt you would be one of the last of us to show any feeling"

"we are not emotionless machines brother, we are flesh and blood creatures and I may not always get along with some of you but I still care about your lives!" Alistravia exclaimed

"My apologies Alistravia I mean you no insult but how often do we truly show our... love... for each other" The word love seamed forced from the Death Lord and after he spoke it he drank his wine as if to wash down the taste of a word he found bitter to say

"Roboute told me to show too much love would undermine our positions as leaders but I disagree because without emotion we are nothing but tools of our own desires"

"desire is a rather powerful emotion Alistravia" Mortarion said pouring another drink "It has caused the rise and fall of empires... and look at us, the emperors children. We all desire something different"

Alistravia smiled and nodded

"that is what makes us human, desire can be a tool for good. I desired to have a child and Carin was born giving me joy but others like our former brother can have desires that cause people to suffer... we have to be careful our desires don't consume us"

"and why did you desire to call me instead of one of our other brothers Alistravia?"

"I have a pest problem"

"I assume you have opened diplomatic relations with this world?" Mortarion queried

"I have"

"and you are waiting on a response? Or have had a negative one?" Mortarion looked confused as Alistravia drank down her wine and poured herself more

"I had a response and it was a negative one"

"Ahh and now you wish for our assistance before beginning an assault"

"actually I already tried to attack the moon"

Mortarion cocked his head in curiosity.

"you attacked"

"yes"

"and what happened"

"they have giant insects, millions if not billions of them. We were forced to retreat"

"that does not sound like you sister, your battle doctrine has always been to wait for the enemy to attack you then retaliate. Why the change?"

Alistravia sighed and looked over directly into Mortarion's eyes.

"their King insulted me"

"In what way?" The death Lord asked as he poured another drink

"don't just dismiss this Mortarion"

The death Lord turned sharply back to face her.

"I am not dismissing it Alis, any insult to you will be avenged but I have never heard of you being so ….. recklessly aggressive"

"I let myself get carried away and it made me leap before I looked but it won't happen again... no more will I throw away my sons lives in anger"

"so what exactly did this king say that offended you" Mortarion said taking a more serious tone

"he called me a tramp... he said I was too plain to be the daughter of an emperor and looked more like some gutter trash tramp"

"is that all?" Mortarion asked

Alistravia looked at him eyes wide with jaw dropping open in disbelief.

"what do you mean is that all!"

"forgive me sister but I thought Estrellans didn't care about beauty or looks, only science"

"on this occasion it crossed a personal line and I will not be referred to as a tramp but... I was silly to attack as I did... I should of requested help"

Alistravia looked into her drink and watched the fluid move as she spun the glass, a hand on her shoulder made her turn around and Mortarion looked down on her. She knew he would deny it... even scoff at the very thought but behind those sunken eyes of his was genuine care for her, something like Mortarion had stated that they rarely saw from their siblings but here it was from one of the brothers she would never believed would show it.

"None of us are perfect Alistravia we all make mistakes... what matters is now together we will bring this world into compliance... you just tell me what you need myself and my sons to do"

Alistravia looked up at her brother and smiled.

"but this king that insulted you... I will make him apologize and then... I will take his head"

Drone control station

Guiding the little cloaked drone down the tunnel was tough, it wasn't because the insect tunnels were narrow. No in actual fact they were wide enough for several drones but it was the unpredictability of the insects in the tunnels.

One of the best fighter pilots they had, Kazan, had been chosen to operate the drone as it's normal A.I would simply choose the quickest path to the center and not be able to change on the fly as quickly as an astartes pilot.

The small drone control section of the bridge was filled with more than it's usual two crew members who had given way to allow Kazan control but he had been joined by admiral marten, Kyros and typhus plus two other death guard captains who were interested in seeing this nest and the enemy.

The idea to try and find the central nest had come from admiral marten after they had discovered tunnels linking the bug nests together after a slightly deeper scan and he had suggested there maybe a central nest. This was due to the fact that many of the nests on the far side of the beach head had originally been thought to remain dormant but it had been discovered before the death guard had arrived that millions of insects from the furthest nests had moved across using these underground tunnels in order to provide a seamlessly infinite number of reinforcements.

Another point had been made by captain Goton of the fourth that a queen or queens must be found somewhere with in these nests laying eggs for new insects to hatch from, a central nest unable to be accessed without getting into the outer nests made sense so Alistravia had given the order to locate the queens and find a way to end the insects once and for all.

Kazan had stopped in a small chamber and hid behind a cluster of stalagmites and mushrooms while a few of the insects marched through the open space, he continued on the moment they had cleared the chamber.

Although the drone was cloaked by sophisticated system of mapping it surroundings and adjusting it's reflective shielding to appear invisible it was awkward even in the widest tunnel to avoid bumping into an insect or object that might create unwanted noise. It had been several hours since the drone entered the tunnels and admiral marten was tracking Kazan's progress carefully.

"you are entering an even narrower set of tunnels Kaz" the admiral said before remembering death guard were present in the room "I mean My Lord"

"no need to be formal admiral" typhus responded "we are observers here and nothing more" he said gesturing to the two other death guard commanders

"If this works you will soon be doing more than observing Typhus" Kyros spoke as he watched the little drone slow down to maneuver it's way down a tight entrance

"we still need to work out a plan before we go beyond observation cousin"

"well I am glad your here and not Kharn, he's far too impatient for my liking"

"he can be a little overzealous with his aggression, I actually find Angron more patient at times" Typhus responded

"so does my mother"

The drone began to move up a small tunnel rising vertically as a strange mist surrounded the robot.

"what is that?" asked the admiral

"some kind of fungal discharge from the mushrooms?" typhus responded

"Kaz stop and take a sample"

The Marine leveled out the controls and the drone stood still as it's scanners activated, it took a few minutes for the drone to feed back the information due to it's position.

"it's gas" Kazan said as he began moving the drone again

"gas from what" one of the other death guard captains asked

"and where is it going" asked the other

"perhaps if we continue to follow this passage we will find out" Admiral marten said looking at the image on the screen

The drone floated up until it reached the top of what seamed to be a vent, as it came over the lip a huge tunnel stretched off into the darkness in front and behind the drone. Indicators from it's sensors registered new readings as the gas level increased.

"Is that gas explosive?" Typhus asked

"not at these levels" admiral marten began to respond "but if the pressure was increased then maybe"

"If we assume that was a vent for the gas it must be expelled on to the surface somewhere" Kyros said as the drone made it's way down the tunnel

"and if we close those exits down the pressure will build, then all we have to do is start a fire" Typhus said finishing Kyros's thought

"sounds like the beginning of a plan" the admiral responded to the two astartes

"we need to find the exhaust for that gas first" Typhus respectfully shot back

"I will see to that personally" Admiral marten said wandering over to the auspex station

The bridge of the Ahab's rage was fairly quiet despite being on combat posture and the auspex officer stepped aside as the admiral approached.

"I will scan for a high output of the gas, that should be our exhaust"

The drone approached a large opening and inside was a vast chasm lit with flying insects with glowing abdomens. They flew up and down the walls around thousands of eggs that were appearing from a small hole in the floor that opened and retracted like the breathing of a some huge beast.

"Take us down carefully Kaz we don't want to disturb the queens yet" Kyros spoke watching Kazan move the drone carefully downwards

The drone floated down the hole and into a huge space where larger versions of the fire fly like bugs hovered about in a circular room but with them were three huge insects. The first was laid across the floor with a centipede like structure and armored plates layering it's exoskeleton, it's face was made up of hundreds of eyes with a jaw the size of a dreadnought. The second was attached to the wall with six thin but hairy legs made of thousands of bristles, it's head was two bulging bug eyes and it's mouth a long needle that seamed to be oozing some kind of pus. The last creature was a fat flaying wasp like creature with stunted wings and and hundreds of needle like stingers emitting from it's tail with it's head containing bug eyes and mandibles that opened and shut as it rested. Each creature was attached by some kind of umbilical cord to a central mass that seamed to be taking the genetic deposit of each queen and creating the eggs.

"three queens and hundreds of eggs plus the bugs that are already hatched" Typhus muttered to himself

"if you have a thought cousin let's hear it?" Kyros asked

"First we need the answer to another question" he said walking over to where the admiral was analyzing signals "do we know where the gas is expelled admiral"

"yes my lord, a structure here..." he said pointing to what appeared as a smoldering volcano "if we close it the gas pressure will build but as you stated earlier it will need something to ignite it"

"Are you thinking what I am thinking?" Typhus said looking directly Kyros

"we still have to deal with the queens" Kyros responded

"we have our respective primarchs, if we get them into that main tunnel somehow they can deal with the central nest, that is if you don't mind your mother being on the surface"

"I'd struggle to stop her... Kazan go back down the tunnel and find us and entrance, I think you and I should go start putting this plan together don't you cousin" Kyros smiled as he received a nod from Typhus

briefing

The Ahab's rage main briefing room was full and made up of four factions, first were the sea devils who had given up space in the room so more of the visiting death guard officers could attend as Kyros had explained they were crucial to this operation. The death guard themselves didn't fill the room but spread out enough to take up what space they could. The legio Aristarchus pilots and princeps sat close by. Lastly was the death guards imperial legion battalions represented by the Lord general and other primary officers including that of it's armor and air force.

Kyros and Typhus were talking whilst looking at each others data-pads and making last minute adjustments. A roar of laughter came from the stands as rebus shared a joke with one of the death guard.

A chime sounded and Alistravia entered along with Mortarion, the entire room stood to salute as the legion commanders entered and took their positions at the center of the room close to the hololith projector but not blocking the view of any marine, Alistravia stepped forward.

"before we begin I would like to say a welcome to all visiting astartes and imperial officers, you are most welcome and also thank you to my dear brother for coming to our assistance" She said indicating the death Lord who gave a short nod "we have difficult task ahead of us but together we can overcome and bring this world into compliance... Kyros"

"thank you mother" he said stepping forward as the lights dimmed "Captain Typhus and I have come up with a plan of attack that will require all elements present in this room to work in unison on the surface while an infiltration team attempts to reach the central nest"

Kyros pressed his hand to the hololith and it lit up showing the moon.

"our biggest problem is those insects, our scans put the numbers in the billions however many are workers and will not attack unless forced but in order to get a team into the central nest we must draw as many of them out as possible which means a full on assault on multiple fronts... Typhus"

"Thank you cousin. There are three primary targets, two on the surface and the central nest. The first target on the surface is this" The hololith adjusted at the recognition of Typhus's voice to show a volcano like structure "This is an exhaust vent for the gas that collects inside the nests due to the toxic mushrooms that grow there. In order to wipe out all the nests we are going to set off a large phosphex bomb in the center which ignite all the gas but this can only be done if the pressure is allowed to build and to do that we must collapse this exhaust, for this task the imperial guard supported by the titan legions will assault the base protecting it with support from six death guard companies"

Indicators lit up on the hololith indicating the formations of each combat unit.

"the base must be destroyed and the exhaust collapsed inward to completely block the gas from being expelled, the second target will require all remaining second and fourteenth legion companies for a large assault" The hololith once again reacted to the death guard captains voice and shifted position to a large structure at the center of a large military base but before Typhus could talk another death guard captain interrupted.

"could the exhaust not simply be destroyed from orbit"

"it is possible it could be but our aim here is to divide enemy forces and draw as many insects out of the nests as possible brother" Typhus responded and continued "This structure is the main base and provides control for the planetary shield and must be take offline permanently and with that in mind as the main assault begins a strike force of two sea devils and two death guard companies will faint an attack on the main base it's self to keep them occupied until the main force breaks through. Now for the final objective I will pass back to Kyros"

"Thank you captain. Three queens provide an endless supply of eggs so they must be eliminated. So shortly after the main assault on the surface has begun a team consisting of myself and the first company along with Gigas, mother, Lord Mortarion and their respective escorts will use a relay contained within the drone still hidden in the tunnels to wormhole in and move to kill the queens"

The hololith had begun showing the drones journey to the queens.

"once we have killed these vile things mother will arm a phosphex bomb before we ex-filtrate back to the surface where we will await the timed detonation and wipe out these creatures for good" The hololith shut off and and the lights came back up "any questions?"

"will their be any kind of bombardment before the assault" Rebus asked

"yes before deployment the surface will be attacked from orbit, in order to distract the enemy, we will be aiming as if to target nests and their entrance ways along with the death guards life eater virus to make sure none are waiting on the surface when we land... we know this will have little effect but they don't know we know that"

"it would be nice to have titan support against the main base" one of the death guard captains stated and a few of his brothers nodded along with some of the sea devils officers

Kyros turned to the titan princeps.

"Would it be possible for one or two titans to assist the base assault?"

A large princeps stood up and bowed.

"Two of our engines can be reassigned as per your request my Lords"

"thank you princeps" Kyros said before turning to the primarchs "is this plan to your satisfaction?"

"I am sure I speak for Alistravia when I say... well done" the death lord said and Alistravia nodded as he continued "and I might suggest we waste no more time and begin move the fleets into position"

"agreed" Alistravia said in response

The assault

Shells were still falling on the surface as Gerik peered out of the window of the storm bird. The initial battle had begun and hundreds of marines marched from drop pods or storm birds towards the enemy base on the horizon, already insects were emerging and moving to attack but this time they faced an combined army of death guard and sea devils numbering a combined two hundred thousand marines.

Both forces surged forward as bolter shots, rockets and las blasts sped across the distance into the vast numbers of insects that had assembled to block the attack on the base situated just over the dunes behind them.

Gerik's storm bird dropped them on the flank where the sixth and seventh sea devil companies had assembled along with two death guard companies. Rebus and the death guard commanders were already waiting at the mobile hololith for him.

"About time brother" rebus said as Gerik approached

"A few of the flying bugs tried to block the rest of us landing and caused our delay"

"no matter cousin" spoke talarius one of the death guard captains "now we can start, Captain appen has begun the assault on the plains along with your sea devils so that will draw the bugs away while we progress through these high dunes and assault the base directly"

"there's enough astartes on that plain to make short work of those insects currently present, we just have to hope our brothers succeed by the exhaust" Captain Lusaka the other death guard captain said

"I have confidence your brothers and the imperial guard will succeed especially with Titan's on their side" Gerik responded respectfully

"let's get started shall we" Rebus said pointing to a location south of the base "Lusaka and I will flank south and go after the main hangers and shuttle ports, we will act as if we have broken away from the main force and simply stumbled across it"

Gerik nodded as Lusaka continued the briefing.

"the two of you will come at them from here" he said pointing to the front of the base "head on with all transports and assault guns"

"A good plan" talarius finished "we will wait behind these dunes until your attack is motion. Once we are through the main gates you can open up into a full assault"

The captains nodded and exchanged salutes. Rebus and Lusaka marched their companies off ahead moving south. While Gerik and talarius stepped inside a spartan assault tank where legionaries of both colors waited.

They had parked the two companies behind a dune, hundreds of rhinos and razor backs from both legions on silent running waited filled with marines. With them were several land raiders, four vindicators and six predators, two of which had parked with their guns aimed over the corner of a dunes rise towards two enemy tanks parked at the front.

Gerik and talarius had climbed up the side of a dune and were using the magnification on their visors to spy on the base.

The base it's self was on alert as were enemy warriors with basic but bulky power armor and simple Gauss rifles, nothing that could do any serious damage to one fully Armored astartes let alone four whole companies.

"Base population was put at about three hundred thousand, but only two hundred thousand are combat troops" Gerik said as he scanned the far end of the base where the shuttles port lay

"Your mother did not want us to injure any non-combatants but that may be difficult" talarius spoke as he watched several of the enemy patrols move about the base

"She understands their will be civilian casualties but she will not abide us just murdering people who are simply looking for shelter" Gerik responded as he saw the flash from rebus's signal "he's ready"

The two captains watched as rebus and Lusaka began their assault using only a few squads to make the enemy troopers think they were simply a few lost units stumbling on the base, this wasn't the truth as the rest of rebus and Lusaka's companies were simply waiting to start.

"the tanks are moving" talarius indicated

"predators one and three... scrap them"

Two booms came as the predators shot off a round each and as talarius and Gerik slid down the dune into the waiting spartan they heard the explosions of the enemy tanks.

"Charge" Gerik signaled and the spartan set off at speed followed by all other units guns blazing aiming directly for the main gate that was slowly raising

"were not gonna make it" talarius said

"yes we will... full power" Gerik shouted to the driver and the spartan blasted forward

It hit the gate as it rose but it's momentum was more than enough for it's huge mass to beak through, the gate continued to rise and the back of the tank was lifted into the air like a ramp.

"open the doors" talarius shouted

The assault doors swing open and the marines dropped out. A group of enemy troopers had set up a firing line thinking they could easily mow down the tank's occupants but they soon realized how wrong they were as they opened fire and the astartes just shrugged it off.

Gerik led the charge into the group and put numerous bolter rounds into the enemy as they scrambled to do any damage at all. A heavy gun mounted on the gate house opened up but a death guard with melta blew it and it's crewman apart.

"Into the gate house we need to free the spartan and let the rest through" Gerik shouted

He kicked the door in and opened fire immediately gunning down more of the lightly armored foes. An officer with no body armor attempted to stab him with a knife but the blade bent against the astartes armor and Gerik swatted him away with a kick.

Talarius had taken his death guard up stairs and bolter fire was heard for a few seconds before falling silent. The death guard captain came down the stairs as Gerik opened the gate letting the spartan down and allowing the rest of the transports and tanks inside.

"Rebus, Lusaka you may begin full assault operations. We have the gate house and are proceeding further inside the base"

"Understood, good hunting" came the quick response

"last one to the shield controls has to clean down the others weapons" talarius said before jogging off

"challenge accepted" Gerik responded running after the death guard captain

The tunnels

The dark tunnel where the drone had hidden was still empty when the drone received the signal. It flew into the center of the tunnel and opened up it's front and dropped out a small pad. The pad expanded as a low whine began to emit from it's base and as it reached full size a blast of light erupted from it's base. Had anyone been watching it would of looked as if the very air it's self had been sucked through a vortex as a miniature wormhole began to form. At first it was just a small spec against the back drop of the dark tunnel then it unfurled like a blooming flower and a sun going supernova at the same time. A shock wave blasted out as it reached maturity, for a few minutes there was nothing just the wormhole and the drone.

Then a giant stepped from it with two massive power fists followed by a smaller giant with a large pistol in one hand and of his terminator armor and a power sword in the other. They examined the area for a moment then Kyros spoke.

"it's clear"

Gigas and Kyros moved away from the wormhole entrance as more terminators in sea devils colors steeped through followed by Alistravia carrying her trident " _Neptune's might_ " with a shot gun and miniature rocket launcher slung over her back followed by the maidens shield. After her came Typhus along with the death shroud and Mortarion who dragged silence slightly along the floor as he moved away from the pad.

The wormhole slowly died and Alistravia recovered the pad after it shrank back down to a more transportable size before she mag locked it to her waist.

As the lights of the terminator suits came on and lit the tunnel Alistravia and Mortarion were revealed in their true light. Alistravia stood tall in a battle suit of scaled green plate with a golden image of a shark mouth across the center. Her leg and arm plates were scaled in the same way with a golden trim running down the edges. Her pistols sat nestled at her waist next to where she had mag locked the pad. Her helm was held in many pieces and could be assembled and disassembled as she needed, in her right hand she held the great green and gold trident. From it's three pronged tip to the spear shaped blade at it's bottom end it was a deadly weapon with great reach, it hummed with a power-field of which only Alistravia knew it's workings.

Mortarion no longer was hunched and his cloak was gone. He stood tall in the dirty green and white battle armor with silence at his side. Lantern was sheathed for now but it was already charged and ready to fire.

" _Mother"_ Sankara said " _the assault on the surface is going as planned and we are keeping the bugs occupied but I suggest you make haste before we lose the element of surprise"_

Sankara had taken command of the sea devils on the surface and was leading them along side the death guard. Normally Alistravia would have brought him with her but Mortarion was uncomfortable with psyker's, Sankara had taken no offense to this.

" _I will be happy as long as I am not stuck on the ship doing nothing_ " he had said

"understood" Alistravia responded over the vox "we will try to get this done quickly and quietly"

There was no response from Sankara and she did not need one, he would do his job just as she would.

"Gigas take point with Kyros" She stated and the group formed up. Mortarion and the death shroud at the rear with Alistravia, the maidens shield and Typhus in the center close to Alistravia which wasn't unusual. Her brothers would often task a trusted son to stay close to her for protection, at first it had been some what insulting but it had proven useful to have an extra guard.

They marched for several minutes in a tunnel that seamed endless. It wasn't of course. Kyros kept his eye on the distance reader and they were almost there when a sound echoed through the vast tunnel like a clicking and buzzing from two directions.

The whole group stopped as Kyros and Gigas halted at the noises. The tunnel was dark despite the lights of the armored marines. Mortarion turned and peered into the darkness behind him and two red eyes shone out, then two more... then hundreds.

The first mantis like creature leaped out at the Death Lord but was cut in half as he swung silence with ease. More of the creatures ran forward and attacked diving into the scythes of the death shroud and Mortarion. Bolter rounds rang out as some more of the mantis looking insects charged forward. Gigas smashed many with his huge power fists and Kyros charged into them along with his first company terminators who opened fire with every weapon shredding the on coming mass of bugs.

Alistravia's escort tightened up around her but then the buzzing got louder and from above small bugs with wings dropped down on to them. Alistravia skewered a few on the end of her trident while drawing one of her pistols and blasting others apart showing the group in pieces of abdomens and wings.

"looks like we have lost the element of surprise, we need to push forward" Typhus shouted over the vox as he cut apart a mantis creature that leaped past his father and into the center of the group

Kyros urged the terminators forward but the mass of creatures was holding them back, one fell as the numbers began to swell.

"Mortarion join me at the front I have an idea" Alistravia yelled

The two primarchs made there way to the front as the formation reformed, as she reached the front Alistravia extended her trident until it reached the full width of the tunnel. Mortarion cut down many of the creatures but was starting to struggle against the growing numbers.

"Kyros have suppression bolter fire stem the tide behind us"

The first captain lined up his surviving terminators and a long with the maidens shield began a wave of bolter fire cutting down the monsters in the back with Typhus, the death shroud and Gigas killing any that dare survive but it did little to slow the insects down.

"what ever your going to do Alistravia do it fast" Mortarion yelled

Alistravia grabbed hold of the extended trident and began spinning it around and around, it was slow at first but she quickly built up momentum until it was no longer just a trident but an oncoming spinning blade. She pushed forward and the team followed her as she pressed on, hundreds of the bugs threw themselves at the oncoming primarchs but the blade cut them down as Alistravia pressed on with Mortarion and his death shroud killing anything that made it past the rear guard.

In reality they had not been too far from the entrance to the vast chasm of eggs but the wight of insect bodies that had been thrown at them slowed them down considerably, the attacks from the rear suddenly stopped but Mortarion ordered Kyros to hold the line until they were sure.

The attacks from the front also stopped moments before they found themselves in the chasm of eggs.

Alistravia retracted _"Neptune's might"_ and they stepped into the vast chamber. The little glowing fly's paid them no mind as they began the decent.

" _mother we are low on ammunition_ " Kyros voxed

"then save it all for the queens don't waste time here"

They reached the bottom where the expanding and retracting hole pulsed. Alistravia and Mortarion peered down. The flow of eggs had stopped and a make shift structure capable of being climbed down was visible.

"You always take me to such...nice places Alistravia"

The surface

The enemy troopers were no match for the on rush of space marines. Rebus and Lusaka had captured the shuttle port and were calling in Valkyries filled with imperial guard who were flushing out the rest of the enemy forces with their usual efficiency. Gerik had led a strike on the ammunition stores and vehicle depots while Talarius moved through the center of the base and pushed for the main control building.

The primary mechanism for the shield was underground and the building that sat on top of it was well defended and the death guard even despite their superior weapons and armor had made slow progress in gaining entrance.

Gerik and the other three commanders met up in a building that had once been from it's appearance and layout, a dormitory for cadets. They had re purposed the building as a forward observation post and were using it coordinate the final stages of the assault.

"Sankara has informed us he and captain appen have almost broken through the insects lines and will be with us shortly" Rebus spoke as they observed the hololith layout of the base

"The base around the exhaust has been eliminated and the titans have begun collapsing the volcano" Talarius said in response

A beep in Gerik's ear and an icon marked urgent on the hololith made him stop his next comment.

"yes admiral?"

" _captain you have a problem_ " the admiral responded " _Captain Kyros reports attacks on them have stopped but I believe this is because the bugs have changed targets"_

"I am guessing that's our problem"

" _Yes, I am tracking multiple xenos signatures heading your way from all directions... including below you"_

"how long until contact" Gerik queried

" _not long enough"_ came the response

A large tremor shook them all and then the ground beneath the building split open swallowing death guard and sea devil alike. The four captains dived out of the window as thousands of bugs emerged from the hole catching the astartes companies off guard. There was a vox call from a sergeant near the shuttle port.

" _Incoming fliers, open..."_ the vox cut off a second later

More vox calls came in as the base became surrounded by the insects that were intent on protecting the base.

"Rebus get a perimeter established, Lusaka see if you can get some streets blocked off with our tanks. Gerik you and I should take some squads and use explosives to seal as many of the holes as we can"

The nest

Alistravia and Mortarion reached the bottom first followed by their escorts. They came into a pitch black room the terminators suit lights doing little to dispel the darkness.

"I don't understand they should be here" Kyros said

Movement was heard then a loud buzzing.

"where is that coming from" said one of the death shroud before a stinger pierced his back and then ripped out his chest

The fat wasp flew up into the air with the remains of the warrior before casting them aside. A shuffle was heard behind Mortarion and hundreds of eyes lit up the dark. The centipede like monster lunged at the Death lord it's mouth looking to swallow him whole but Mortarion drew lantern and blasted the creature in a few of it's many eyes, angry it kept coming but the death lord swing silence around and cut into the soft unarmored layer around it's jaws. The creature shrieked and scuttled off into the dark vanishing again.

"we can't fight in the dark" Typhus said looking around erratically for signs of attack

"way ahead of you" Alistravia responded loading her rocket launcher with an unusual shell

She fired it directly up and after a moment it impacted on the sealing before the end of the rocket opened up with a burst of light illuminating all the room.

The fat wasp shrieked as took off from the spot on the wall it had landed on and it dived to attack Alistravia's make shift illumination but a rocket hit directly in it's side and it switched targets diving for Alistravia who opened fire with another rocket.

The third queen charged down from it's position stomping on two terminators as the group opened fire, shells ripped into it's pulsing body but it just shrugged them off and kept coming. Kyros swiped at one of the queens many legs with his power sword cutting hundreds of bristles free and severing it's middle leg. The queen shrieked and slowed before continuing it's rampage.

The centipede queen loomed over Mortarion and the death shroud before dropping forward trying to crush it's attackers. Mortarion and a few of the death shroud escaped from it's crushing blow but two were smashed under it's armored body.

Alistravia's rocket exploded near the wasp queens wings and forced it down to the ground where it fired more of it's stingers at her. She shot them out of the air with ease before the wasp recovered and began flying again, Alistravia fired another rocket in an attempt to bring it back down but the queen recognized the same attack and moved away before diving back down. Alistravia pulled the trident from where she had stuck it into the ground and aimed it at the diving queen like a spear, at the last second just as the queens tail and stingers were a hairs width away she hit the switch and the trident shot out as it extended as it had before piercing the creatures bloated tail and pinning it against the wall. The queen roared in anguish as it ripped it's body free from the pinned tail section, it dropped to the ground and Charged at Alistravia who drew her shotgun.

The now five legged queen was still stomping around trying to crush more of the terminators, who were attempting to hack away at it's legs but it had gotten wise and was moving two fast for the heavily armored marines.

Kyros moved away from it and looked to Gigas who was trying to catch the legs with his power fists.

"brother come here" Kyros shouted

Gigas ran over dodging the creatures beak that had skewered a few terminators.

"remember that old sea cow we used to ride" Kyros said nodding at the stomping queen

Gigas didn't need to take off his helm to show his concern.

"shes a little bigger than bossie"

"but just as wild... give me a boost"

"It's your funeral" Gigas said bending down and holding out his hands to throw Kyros who took a few steps back

"They call us the immortal twins for a reason" he said running forward

As Kyros placed one foot on Gigas's fists he was thrown over his brothers shoulder high up into the chamber, he angled his decent and crashed onto the back of the stomping queen. It roared and he slammed his sword into it's back as he held on to the even angrier insect. He pushed the sword forward slicing open the soft shell as he moved towards the queens head. When the gap was big enough he pulled all the krak grenades he had, set the timers and dropped them into the puss filled hole before jumping off. The impact registered multiple warnings in his amours servos as several connections severed stopping his movement as the auto repair drones began crawling over him in an attempt to preform emergency repairs. Gigas noticed his brothers lack of movement and dived to cover him as the krak grenades went off blowing apart the long legged queen. A green pus along with body parts flew across the room and Gigas stood from his position looking at the corpse of the queen as the rest of the terminators changed targets to assist the primarchs. He turned to look at his brother who had the last repair drones returning to their compartment inside his armor.

"I'd call you crazy but were twins so that would make me crazy too"

"come on let's assist mother" Kyros said slamming a fist on his brothers breastplate in thanks

The centipede queen had cornered Mortarion and dived at him jaws open and swallowed him whole.

"Father!" Typhus roared as he charged towards the queen that now turned towards him.

The insect leaned back rearing up to strike at typhus but as it was about to dive forward it stopped and a mixture of fluids spewed forth from it's mouth. Then from it's under belly a glow came then an implosion as it's soft underneath burst outwards spreading more fluids everywhere, Mortarion stood with Lantern drawn, he walked out as the centipede keeled over onto it's side. It thrashed about a bit until Mortarion took silence and cut open the rest of it's body.

Alistravia ran towards the charging queen, it heard both it's companions death shrieks and accelerated in an attempt to crush her but she jumped over it's charge, a combination of her primarch physiology and the technology inside her suit allowed her to leap over unleashing fiery buck shot on to the wasps wings. They instantly set alight and it shrieked as the rest of it's body caught fire also but with it's last breath it reared up turning to lunge at Alistravia who didn't give it a chance and launched a rocket straight into it's jaws the explosion ripping it's face apart killing it in just as gruesome fashion as it's fallen counterparts.

Kyros approached Alistravia.

"are you injured at all?"

"a few bruises and a greater dislike of bugs but otherwise I am fine" Alistravia responded

Mortarion strode over to them followed by Typhus and what remained of the death shroud.

"We should Finnish this"

Alistravia nodded and detached the disc she had locked to her hip. Walking to the center of the room where the genetic depositing device sat she dropped it on the floor and it expanded.

"Admiral" she voxed

" _yes my lady?"_

"the queens are dead open a wormhole and send the bomb"

" _I am pleased to hear that, beginning wormhole creation now"_

The pad once again sucked in the air around it before exploding with a shock wave that shook everyone except the primarchs. As soon as the wormhole had formed two tech-marines brought a large cylindrical device through place it on the ground then standing back as their mother approached and activated the holographic controls.

"Admiral has the gas reached an explosive level?"

" _indeed it has, I suggest you make haste as soon it will become toxic to everyone except lord Mortarion and the death guard"_

"understood, this won't take a minute. How goes the rest of the fight?"

" _Commander qualm and captain appen's forces are mopping up the bugs on the dunes however since your victory they have entered some kind of frenzy and many are attacking imperial forces giving siege to the command building of the shield base. Captain thou is in danger of being overrun"_

"reset the wormhole on your end and send us to assist" she said pressing the last holo rune and watching a timer appear "we are done here"

The group entered into the wormhole leaving the phosphex bomb ticking away.

Surface shortly before

Gerik smashed aside one of the insects with a large shell on it's back as it ran towards him with many others. They had managed to close a few of the holes but more and more of the insects had appeared including kinds they had not seen before. Some seamed to be designed to act as tanks with strange fiery pellets shot from their backs and others had no offensive purpose at all and were most likely the workers mentioned in the briefing but while they had no offensive ability they acted as fodder for the more dangerous bugs. Beside him talarius cut through the swarming workers as they broke back through to rebus and Lusaka in the main court yard of the base in front of the sealed entrance to the command building.

They had been initially cut off after they had gone off to seal the holes but with the help of several guards man squads who had demolished buildings to funnel the insects into the path of the razor backs fire they had been able to push through a weak point in their lines. Gerik made a mental note to thank the guardsman later... if they lived.

The court yard was swarming with the creatures, big and small, warrior and worker crowded what was left of the task force. Imperial guardsmen had fallen back to the ruins of the outer bunkers but were fighting hard along with the astartes. They were doing their best to cover apothecary's as well as the death-guard tech-marine who was trying to unseal the base door.

Rebus and Lusaka were fighting back to back and death-guard and sea devils were fighting side by side protecting and covering one another as they should, in many ways it was a glorious sight to behold two legion astartes fighting together against overwhelming odds, then all of a sudden the insects hesitated and twitched all at once as if a massive electrical charge had been set upon them. Then they shirked and their attacks became more furious. New holes opened up as more from underground emerged and attacked. The death-guard tech-marine was jumped on by a monster of a bug that the guardsmen could not bring down. It charged into their line cutting through the soft body armor they wore.

Larger insects dove on to the space marines forcing them further back.

"It was an honor fighting along side you all" Talarius shouted

"were not dead yet" rebus said in response as the largest insect they had seen yet broke through it's brethren and charged at them

"you were saying?" Lusaka

"he was saying your not dead yet captain" A female voice said as she dropped down in front of them

Mortarion dropped down beside his sister and looked at the oncoming threat.

"go high sister" he said through a grimace

Alistravia ran and jumped up and threw her trident into the monsters face and it howled but it's cry of pain was cut short as Mortarion's scythe slashed it's belly open spilling it's innards. The other insects charged and Gerik let out a shout and ran towards the on coming swarm.

"for the emperor"

And they all followed him, death guard, sea devil and imperial guardsman. The sight of two primarchs was empowering and the two demigods watched for a moment as their sons and the soldiers of the imperial guard cut into the mass of bugs with a growing zeal. The maidens shield and death shroud came behind them along with Gigas, Typhus and Kyros.

"no sense in letting them have all the fun" Alistravia said running off followed by her escort

"After you father" Typhus said and the Death lord strode forward into the battle.

To see a primarch on the field of battle was a thing of beauty, the men and women of the imperial guard and warriors of the legion fought better and longer but with two primarchs it was magnified tenfold and to witness it, well that was a wonder only few would ever see. Mortarion and Alistravia fought like the legends they were made to be, side by side they could not be touched as they cut down the insects left and right never tiring or stopping. Mortarion's giant scythe ended hundreds of bugs lives each time he swung it, only occasionally drawing lantern to end a foe at range. Alistravia swung her trident back and forth skewering and cutting the bugs apart as they attacked, she had passed her shot gun to Kyros who was using the fiery buckshot to burn through the insects lines so Gigas could smash the larger foes with his power fists.

The battle lasted less than an hour as below them all in the central nest the time on the bomb reached zero.

The initial blast vaporized the bodies of the queens instantly, the fire then rushed up carried by the high levels of gas into the egg chamber burning the eggs to nothing but ash. The fire continued spreading down each tunnel into every nest killing the bugs that remained. It eventually worked it's way to the surface where flaming geezers shot into the air as it reached open sky. Several of the holes in the courtyard erupted like tiny volcano's killing the insects reinforcements and collapsing the tunnel entrances. Some of the bugs tried to run but they ran straight into the main force led by Sankara and captain appen and were easily crushed.

Apparition of death 

They had gained access to the command center shortly after the battle finished. Gerik had cut down what few defenders remained and was now stood with a squad of marines in the control room for the shield, in front of them on their knees were six members of the team that operated this room. They were held tight, arms locked behind their backs with restraints after they had surrendered.

Alistravia entered the room with two maiden shield warriors beside her, her armor showed signs of the battle that had taken place outside.

Alistravia stood and examined each member of the operations team before speaking.

"You have done yourself a service by surrendering and can help even further by disabling the shield around the main planet"

"Monster" one of them, an elderly man, said under his breath

"the only monsters were those insects but now they are extinct as are all xenos who stand in the way of mankind" Alistravia responded

"we just wanted to live in peace" A young girl said and Alistravia approached her

The girl looked down to the floor avoiding the primarchs gaze but Alistravia grabbed her and forced her to look into her eyes.

"You would have had peace had your king not of refused my offer"

Alistravia let her go and looked over them all again.

"You may all yet live to see peace restored but that depends on your cooperation, disable the shield so we may have access to the main planet"

"never" The old man said looking up and locking eyes with her "You may torture us all you want but we will nev..." the mans speech was cut short with a shot from Alistravia's pistol passing through his skull

Most of the others grimaced and looked away from the dead body of their comrade but the young girl threw up onto the floor.

"this is getting us no where" Mortarion said as he walked in

A funny thing happened then, the five remaining members of the command team looked at Mortarion like they had seen a ghost. He stood, armor scratched and dented slightly, holding silence and face a mask of control.

The five team members appeared to be looking on him with a mixture of fear and awe, something which Alistravia noticed.

"we do not fear your apparition, we do not fear the reaper" a younger male said

"You should fear me child" Mortarion responded "I am no apparition"

Alistravia noticed the young girl shaking harder than any of them. She was obviously very new and inexperienced. She had no understanding of what was happening and Alistravia smiled knowing she could use that and turned to Mortarion.

"kill everyone but her"

The group opened their mouths to scream but silence cut their heads free from their body's before they could utter a single noise. The girl threw up again as the heads of her comrades rolled along the floor.

Alistravia loomed over her and spoke in a pleasant tone. Causing the girl to suddenly obey every order and answer every question. To the girl she knew no different, she was doing everything of her own volition but to everyone else in the room it was clear Alistravia was using a power that had developed while she slept in her incubation pod in the emperors labs, before fate took her away. Her brothers called it the sirens call and it had brought many worlds into compliance. Some could resist it if they were strong willed enough but most would fall to it's power without challenge.

"How do I disable the shield"

"That console over there" she nodded to a row of computer systems "but our commander fused the heat syncs when you broke in so it won't turn off unless you destroy the whole base it's self"

"thank you, this will take us one step close to achieving peace" Alistravia responded before placing a hand on top of the girl's head "I am sorry you won't see it"

Alistravia broke the girls neck with a simple twist and nodded to her brother and they walked out together.

"we can destroy the base from orbit" Mortarion said as they strode out of the command room

"Agreed. It's interesting how they were afraid of you yet still stood their ground"

"I can be intimidating" the death lord responded

"no doubt but this was something different. They thought you an apparition, possibly of something they fear in their culture and that must be this reaper" Alistravia spoke as she stepped over a dead foe

"Many cultures fear a reaper of death coming from them, it is not unusual"

"true but this felt different. I am going to have velar look into their culture and see if we can use this to our advantage"

"do what you need sister, the sooner we end this the better" Mortarion responded as they made their way into the waiting storm bird

Intermission

Sanguinius followed his father to his quarters. He was stopped at the door by two of the custodians.

"I wish to speak to my father" he told them

"Let him in" the emperor spoke

Sanguinius entered the state room that had been allocated to the emperor and his party. It was a grand room with the typical white and gold architecture of Estrella finished off for it's current occupant with flags of all imperial factions including the current legions.

The emperor stood at the far end with Malcador who was being served by one of the Estrellan auto-matrons. He strode up to them with purpose.

"father you have to end this!" Sanguinius spoke with a raised voice "tell Alistravia you have decided to refuse her request and this... absurd counsel can end"

The emperor looked down upon him with curiosity and annoyance.

"you speak as if to give me orders?" he said

"Forgive me father but this needs to end"

"So you would have me go back on my word to Alistravia? You would have me push her further away?"

Sanguinius shook his wings for a moment as if in thought, he looked over to Malcador who had now taken a seat as though he were witnessing some entertaining play.

"Alistravia needs to be made to understand she can not just abandon the imperium on a whim"

"this is exactly the reason why she made the request to me my son" the emperor moved over to the grand chair that had been designed for him "Alistravia has had the ability to leave the imperium for many years and could of simply taken her people and ran. With her technology and ships we would of never been able to stop her but she did not do this, she came to me with a request and while I could refuse her it is not me who would feel the impact... it is the whole imperium. The people we all represent, you are a leader of this imperium Sanguinius. It is up to you and your brothers to decide her fate"

Sanguinius was about to speak but with a raised hand the emperor stopped him.

"Leave me, I have much to think on"

Sanguinius glanced at the two custodians that took a step forward when he hesitated, then he simply bowed and left.

The emperor sat in thought for a few minutes before turning to Malcador.

"this is your fault you know"

"really!?" the first lord exclaimed in response

"You made me change the seconds development, had I not things could have been different"

Malcador chuckled.

"I merely suggested that making one out of the twenty female might provide a counter balance to the males... I didn't think you would actually go through with it"

The emperor opened his mouth but Malcador continued, cutting him off.

"And that is what she has been. Look how they all react to her, even those whose demeanor is not one of care or love are willing to do anything for her. She is their counter balance... and without her I do not know how the imperium will develop"

"you speak as if Alistravia is the foundation of the imperium?" the emperor questioned

"she is not the foundation but to her brothers she is an anchor. They are all divided in many areas of thought and belief but if one thing more than anything unites them it's how far they will go to protect her" the first lord responded

"and without her you think they will fight with each other?"

"I do not know but what I do see is you have a greater affection for them than you care to admit" Malcador said

"They are simply tools"

"Perhaps on the surface yes but I think somewhere in that vast mind of yours you care for them as any father would, which is why you can not decide Alistravia's fate. To do so would affect you more than you care to admit so you give the decision away to her brothers and if she does leave, I do not know what will become of the imperium"

The emperor starred with narrowed eyes at the first lord for a moment as the first lord held is hand up to say one more thing.

"For your sake, I hope you show some of that affection before she leaves or she will never return"

librarious

Erebus had to be quick. The session would be recommencing shortly and while he was not expected to attend every session it would appear odd if he was only there for half the tale.

He had been allowed into the librarious with ease. The main section was still open to all members of the imperium other than the Mechanicum. He was surprised Sankara had not barred him entrance and this brought a nagging worry in the back of his mind, something was odd but he was in now.

He made his way round the main stacks but had to be careful as other astartes including librarians of the second were still mulling around but most ignored him apart from giving a curt nod in his direction.

He knew little of the layout and finding the entrance to the secret library would not be easy so he made haste ignoring most of the stacks and and following the slowly dimming light sources. It took him what seamed like an age and he was about to start setting back off towards the exit when through the gap in some shelves he noticed a glow. He made his way round carefully and then he spotted it as he looked down one of the stacks. It was a large arched door with multiple runes and other Estrellan symbols carved around it. The glow was coming from an energy barrier covering the door. He could only see the center portion of the door through the narrow stack but he took large strides to reach it quickly but as he stepped out from the narrow stack into the open space he saw them. Two thousand sun terminators one at each side of the door, they had already spotted him and were glaring at him through their glowing eye lenses.

"Are you lost cousin?" one of them asked

Erebus thought for a moment and decided to take a chance.

"Lord Magnus has agreed to allow me access to the material behind that door so please lower the shield so I may proceed"

"we have received no such order" Said the other terminator

"Perhaps your vox is not functioning" Erebus stated

"Unlikely" The first terminator responded

At this a low whine from their power packs suggested their weapons were spinning up and one of the two crimson warriors stepped forward.

"You must leave this area at once"

"This is not even your world so why do you stand guard?"

"our purpose is not to question the reason, only to obey" the terminator looming over him said "Now leave or be destroyed"

Erebus looked at the massively armored marine, he might of taken a chance against one terminator but two would be a struggle.

"very well, but I will have access to that room mark my words" he stated before moving off

Lorgar's quarters

Lorgar was approaching the doors to leave the quarters he had been assigned when they burst open revealing Ahzek and his father Magnus. The two marched in as Lorgar's guard responded but Magnus glared at them and they retreated back as Lorgar stood to face his brother.

"What do you want cyclops?"

Magnus grabbed Lorgar by the throat and pinned him against the wall. This time Lorgar's personal guard reacted with more speed however Ahzek stood in their way.

"I suggest you don't interfere" he said

The group stopped but did not retreat back as they starred at the crimson king who held their charge against the wall. Magnus spoke.

"If I hear of you or any of your sons attempting to gain access to areas they are not permitted to access again then we will have a reckoning, is that clear...Brother"

Lorgar was dropped to the ground and Magnus started to walk off as he spoke.

"Your protecting something valuable, I know that now"

Magnus stopped.

"I would suggest you send Erebus back to your fleet or he may find himself having an accident"

"is that a threat!?" Lorgar exclaimed

"no brother, it's a promise" Magnus said before walking off with Ahzek following

Counsel

Alistravia waited for Lorgar to appear before standing up to the podium. The arbiter questioned his lateness.

"My apologies Lord arbiter, I was delayed due to..." He took a quick glance in Magnus's direction "Legion business, it won't happen again"

The arbiter nodded and gestured for Alistravia to continue.

"Now where were we, ah yes..."

"hold on a moment" Fulgrim interrupted "I have a suggestion"

The arbiter took a moment before speaking.

"And that would be?"

Fulgrim faced his sister.

"Alis rather than leave become an independent state, a principality as it were. I am sure father would make you a protectorate of the imperium then you may have your independence and remain with us"

"this is not about independence brother" Alistravia responded "and could you really accept a growing technological power on your door step?"

"you would be no threat to the imperium sister" Fulgrim shot back

"So sure of this are you? Do you think back in the twentieth century when some powers gained nuclear arms that those without did not see them as a threat? You might see me and my technological progression as no threat now but in years to come when I have developed even further what will you think then?"

Alistravia starred at him for a while until he broke the gaze. The arbiter then spoke.

"Lord Fulgrim this counsel was called to decide on the matter of exile according to the word of the emperor. Unless our Lord sees fit to change the reason for this counsel we will proceed as we were"

The emperor didn't respond and after a minute Alistravia continued with her tale.

Briefing room

"So what did you find velar?" Alistravia asked as Mortarion took his spot

"Something rather interesting and the reason for the fear of lord Mortarion's appearance"

velar said activating the hololith

A figure appeared in it holding a scythe with a wooden stock and shiny metal blade. He looked almost skeletal but was cloaked in a dark black as night robe with a hood.

"this is the twentieth century image of the grim reaper, a spectator said to claim your soul upon death but this lost colony of mankind have come to worship a similar figure"

The image changed to a figure not too different from Mortarion. He had an armored body and a face that while was no longer skeletal it was crescent shaped like Mortarion's and like before wore the long black hooded robe along with a scythe.

"he's almost your twin" Alistravia said and Mortarion just grunted as velar continued

"They simply call him the reaper and like before he is said to appear upon death however this particular society has built a belief system that worships him like a god and they have a saying which is, do not fear the reaper. It is said saying that upon your death protects you from his grasp and instead of claiming your soul he takes you to paradise"

"Can we use this against them?" Alistravia asked

Velar nodded and continued.

"They see the reaper as merely a phantom that provides solace upon death rather than the reclamation of souls, he is not a physical figure hence why they assumed lord Mortarion was an apparition sent to scare them. The appearance of a real reaper should make compliance easier as the death lords appearance as a real physical reaper will take most of the fight out of them"

"So how do we deploy to use this to our advantage?" Mortarion asked as he watched the image on the hololith

Velar smiled.

"If you will indulge me... I have a plan"

Main planets surface

An army was marching towards Alistravia. Millions of warriors along with tanks and artillery marched from a city in the distance. They were determined to show their force and at the head stood a great general. He rode inside a small tracked open top vehicle along with another officer and they had big smiles on their faces like this would be an easy victory.

Alistravia was stood alone in front of a wall of fog. This kind of weather phenomenon was common on the planet and most people resided in the great city in the distance with few living outside due to lack of visibility in the thick rolling fog that covered vast swathes of the world. She herself had already developed a chemical formula to clear the fog once compliance had been achieved and had given the king one more chance at peace, this army appeared to signify his decision to refuse compliance had remained the same.

Both Mortarion and her senior officers had been disturbed by a plan that put her in such a vulnerable position but she pointed out that this played more into the sea devils battle doctrine so in reality she was only stood alone to the approaching army but behind her tens of thousands of death-guard and sea devils stood along with their armor and artillery, not to mention the titans and the imperial guards men. It had been easy to drop them all unseen with the fog and the majority of their forces stood hidden in the cloud with Kyros and the first company waiting with Gerik, rebus and their company's in drop pods to drop directly on the king's palace.

The approaching army stopped only a short distance away. They general and his escort got out of their tracked vehicle and made there way towards her.

The general had a full armored suit on but carried only a short pistol as opposed to Alistravia who stood full armored with "Neptune's might" in her right hand. Her pistols were as always holstered. The generals escort was encased in bright yellow armor and she wished Rogal or any imperial fist had been here to see it. They carried big Gauss rifles with closed helms and they stopped behind their general who stepped forward to speak.

"you who have invade our world. You who have killed our brothers and sisters on the moon now stand here alone as a mockery to us?"

"I stand here alone because I wished to give you one more chance at peace rather than have you fight a war you can not win" Alistravia responded

The general laughed.

"You say we can not win but where are your armies, you stand here alone! Our king sends you a message, he says... you can take your offer of peace and shove it up your rectum"

"I see, well that is a shame because now I can no longer protect you from the reaper" Alistravia said activating her trident

The general laughed again.

"we do not fear the reaper for he is only a myth"

"I assure you" Mortarion said stepping out of the fog "I am no myth"

The general stepped back and his escort raised their weapons as the general hesitantly pulled his pistol, aimed and fired. The shot didn't even scratch Mortarion's armor and he then he pointed the weapon at Alistravia.

Murmurs could be heard from the generals army in the back ground and some even began to flee at the sight of their supposed mythical deity. Shouts from officers trying to regain control could be heard as panic started to break out in the ranks of the solderers.

"You can't be real..." he said as he squeezed the trigger of his pistol

Before the shot could fly forth silence cut him and his escort in half. Mortarion turned to the fog.

"no survivors!" he shouted and then from the fog they came sea devil and death-guard.

Bolters firing killing many of the enemy as they charged the lines. The panic caused by Mortarion's appearance slowed their response and before they could even position their artillery gun fire from the now marching titans tore them apart. Imperial guard artillery opened fire on the city's defenses and the lord general charged out in his bane-blade followed by thousands of Leaman Russ battle tanks and chimera transports along with other assorted units like sentinels.

Alistravia and Mortarion left their sons to deal with the army as they had a king to capture. They walked back through the fog to a waiting storm bird.

"take us directly to the palace" Alistravia informed the pilot

Joining them inside the storm bird was their respective escorts along with Gigas and Typhus. Sankara had opted to take command of the ground forces again and make sure the city was captured mostly intact.

The palace

To any of the palace guards it would of looked like a rain of fire as the drop pods plummeted towards the ground. Anti aircraft guns swung around to fire on them but the armor was too thick and their decent too steep for the guns to effectively hit and as always dummy pods were fired that contained gun platforms and in some cases hid munitions filled with the death-guard's life eater virus. Mortarion had suggested using the virus against the palace's outer defenses to the dropped marines that fell shortly after could secure them without difficulty.

Alistravia didn't like the idea of releasing a deadly virus over the city but it was a way to make a statement to the populace and the king that ruled them. The first salvos hit over the palace with a few falling short and landing in surrounding city. It wasted no time in consuming the flesh of those it touched and both civilian and guard died on mass as the gun platforms touched down shortly after and began to destroy any survivors clearing the way for the drop pod assault but before that after the virus had consumed it's load the Ahab's rage fired salvos of virus dispersal torpedoes so no more casualties would occur.

Gerik's drop pod touched down along with most of the sixth in the inner courtyard, rebus and his seventh had landed on the far side of the palace with Kyros and the first targeting the central building. Gerik's job was to clear out the survivors of the virus bombing and destroy the anti aircraft guns so Alistravia and Mortarion could land.

Gerik and his company charged out into the courtyard. Enemy warriors in yellow armor stood to oppose them. The colors they wore looked almost imperial fist like and compared to the previous warriors of this world Gerik had fought they were better trained and organized, this was evident as when they landed overlapping fields of fire shot out at them.

Sadly despite being better trained their weapons were still basic Gauss rifles and had little effect on a space marines armored. The sixth charged into them cutting them down with bolter and sword. Gerik cut down three that manned a massive gun as they pushed towards the far end of the courtyard where the AA guns stood but also something else. A cannon that turned it's attention to them and fired, this could damage a space marine and a few warriors died as the rest dived for cover from the large blast.

"Rebus" he voxed "They have some kind of anti tank emplacement in the yard, watch yourself"

"That would have been helpful two minutes ago" the response came over the sound of bolter fire

Gerik took a peak round the rubble he could see the gun still searching for movement. He watched for a second before voxing a sergeant.

"Val, take two squads and move round the far side to draw it's fire"

"affirmative" the response came

Gerik watched Val and the two squads move around. The gun slowly started to rotate and Gerik pulled a tech-marine named sylph over.

"as soon as it's pointed away were going over there with a melta"

"yes brother captain" Sylph resounded

It turned a few more meters preparing to fire at Val and his squad. Gerik moved along with sylph. They slapped a melta straight on to the access door at the rear and ran. It blew open and several crew members exited burning and screaming. Gerik gunned them down and he and sylph entered the gun.

"can you control this gun" Gerik asked

"yes captain" Sylph responded as he accessed the controls "it will take but a moment"

The tech-marine seamed to go quiet as he focused on his task.

"done captain"

"good rotate the gun towards the AA emplacements and fire"

The massive gun rotated slowly towards the AA bunkers where soldiers were now emerging moving to make an assault on the gun. A large warrior in some kind of mechanized battle suit charged towards the gun but Kelsey appeared as if from nowhere and barreled into him.

"All squads protect the gun until it's clear to fire"

Gerik watched as Kelsey dueled with the enemy soldier in the mechanical battle suit and he remembered when Kelsey was flesh and blood and not just a piece of meat in an armored suit. It was odd how his mind drifted back to that war. The first time they encountered the Mechanicum.

 **Battle of nautilus city – day 16 of Mechanicum invasion: one year before imperial contact**

Gerik felt his stomach go funny as the stork drop ship detached from the carrier. The craft lurched sideways instantly as it turned towards the besieged planet and prepared for decent. Out the window Gerik could make out two fleets. The one furthest from view was the enemy's. Calling themselves the Mechanicum they were a cybernetic race that used monstrous auto-matron constructs and soldiers who had replaced most of their body with robotic parts. They had come with a fleet into the system colonized by the Estrellan's and attacked with no warning dropping troops on to the colony of nautilus. According to the briefing material he had been given they had demanded the handing over of technology and the deletion of the AI constructs as they attacked. That was all the information Gerik had.

He was just a private and this was his first real combat drop. Before this he had been stationed on a small colony moon on the edge of the Estrellan system and had only ever fought the alien wild life that would some times try to attack the small base but this was not just going to be a few wild wolves nor was this combat drop simulated.

The enemy fleet had been ripped apart by the Arch-Invetress fleet and their flag ship was now a burning wreck. The rest of the enemy's fleet had pulled back and were attempting to retreat but the Arch-Invetress had cut them off by splitting her fleet in to two parts so as the Mechanicum fleet retreated it would run straight into the second half of the fleet who were waiting for it at their jump point.

There was a tremor as the drop ship connected with the atmosphere and changed it's angle of decent. Gerik could not see much as the heat of entering into the thick atmosphere created heat waves that spread over the whole craft. Armour plating slid across the windows to prevent damage and the pilot spoke over the intercom.

"Lot of turbulence ladies and gents"

Gerik wondered how his brother was doing right now. He had gone down in the first wave with general Kyros and was likely engaged in the heaviest of fighting. Reports had stated the Mechanicum had captured most of the main city and had almost secured the spaceport when the fleet arrived and dropped the first wave. From the quick slice of information they got as they boarded the stork the spaceport had been secured and was now the beach head for the whole counter invasion. The armor plating slid back and Gerik could see again and as the stork banked left towards the spaceport he could see the damage the invasion had brought as entire sections of the city were in flames. Friendly and unfriendly enemy fighter craft were dueling over some sections of the city where anti aircraft fire was light. Thankfully most of the civilians had been evacuated into the underground shelters before the first Mechanicum troops hit the ground.

Gerik looked over at his captain who was speaking on the comms most likely with the general himself.

"Yes sir understood" The captain yelled over the sound of the drop ships engines.

He then disengaged his mag lock harness and moved over to the pilot's hold. There was the sound of talk between the captain and the pilot and then the craft turned away from the space port as the captain came into the back. A little orange hololith appeared in front of them all.

"All right my lancers listen up" he said as the hololith focused on a small section of the city "It appears our general doesn't want us to sit on our asses at the space port so were going to quadrant 5 to kill some robots"

The hololith increased in detail showing a small section of the city. Red blips were enemy troops with four larger ones representing tanks moving away from the Estrellan's advance.

"Our enemy is in retreat and think they are gonna make it off world but that's not gonna happen. Our esteemed general wants us to knock out these AA batteries here that are preventing us from bombing them into the ground"

The highlighted section showed several AA platforms along with some kind of four legged tank.

"So here's what we are gonna do. We will land on the edge of the city and make our way through the nautilus manufactures and catch them on the flank" The image zoomed back to the buildings and showed a detailed plan of assault "Now we don't now how heavily occupied this area is but the retreat to their landers takes them past it so there's likely to be some nasty rear guard"

The captain walked around the carrying pod as the mag locks on each lancer was disengaged. As Gerik's released he stepped out of the alcove and grabbed his plasma lance from the rack. He had modified his slightly for a better fire rate. Other lancers had modified theirs as well ranging from massive cylinder magazines to barrels adjusted to provide a more stable line of fire.

"Now you ladies and gents are my unit" the captain continued "And my unit will not fail is that understood"

"YES CAPTAIN!" Came the chorused response from all fifteen lancers.

"Yeah that what I wanted to hear so what are you gonna do to the enemy?" The captain asked as the light came on to show they were about to touch down

"KILL THEM ALL CAPTAIN!" they chorused again as the drop ship hit the ground and the doors slid open.

"Well then get moving people!" The captain shouted

They all jumped out and ran forward taking cover behind an outer building of the manufacturer.

The sounds of missiles and artillery in the distance were louder than expected and an enemy fighter shirked as it fell down in flames further in the quadrant. The unit moved through the first building with no resistance as expected but as they approached the second movement alerted them as a small squad of enemy soldiers saw them and moved back inside the structure.

"All right we flush these mechs out. You two" the captain said pointing to Gerik and a young newcomer to their unit named Kelsey "Go round through the side door and catch them on the flank. We will draw their fire"

"Yes sir" They both responded

Gerik and Kelsey moved around one of the outside buildings and Gerik saw the side entrance as the rest of the unit opened up exchanging fire with the garrisoned Mechanicum troops. Their approach was covered by a high platform used for loading drone lifters and they reached the door with no sign that the Mechanicum squad had seen them. Gerik took one side of the door and scanned through the wall as Kelsey watched the window above them.

"It's clear. On three...1...2...3!" Gerik shouted and kicked open the door

Two of the Mechanicum soldiers turned from their position on one of the upper platforms but Kelsey shot them both through the chest as they raised their weapons. Gerik hit another that was hiding behind the crates taking it's arm off and destroying it's weapon. The rest of the Mechanicum squad panicked as they they struggled to deal with the flank on their position. Shots were heard closer to the main entrance the captain was at and the rest of the unit burst in opening fire along with Gerik and Kelsey at the last three remaining Mechanicum soldiers who were brought down quickly. Kelsey kicked the remains of one as they regrouped and the captain checked their position.

"What are these things?"

"They call them skitarii" said Deere the unit's tech soldier

Like Kelsey she was a recent addition to the unit but was apparently an expert in tech manipulation

The captain whistled and the whole squad turned it's attention on him

"All right people listen up" He said as the squad grouped up around him "We have three more buildings to get through before we have line of sight on those AA guns so let's get moving and stay sharp"

The next building they moved through was unoccupied except for a bear that was scavenging food from the garbage. In the second buildings warehouse a damaged enemy tank was undergoing repairs and the engineer was shocked when they charged in gunning down him and all his simulacrum servants. The third building had a lone sniper who was quietly removed. They moved in and were able to get a look at the courtyard where the two AA guns were sat scanning the skies.

"There must be at least thirty including the tank" one of the troopers said as they observed from a concealed position.

The captain was busy analyzing the sight lines and approaches. It was not going to be easy. The tank sat looking right at their position and there was very little cover to move about undetected.

"Captain I have an idea" Deere said "We go get that other tank. I am pretty sure I can get it working again"

"Alright. Kelsey. Gerik. Escort Deere back to that tank and get it working"

The three of them moved back to the tank quickly and they climbed inside as Deere began interfacing with the controls.

"So wots this thing called" Kelsey asked as Deere worked away.

"A Doom crawler" She said banging the console at the front "Damn"

"What's wrong?" Gerik asked

She sighed

"I can get the tank moving no problem but the main gun is bust. I can get us one maybe two shots and that's if it doesn't over heat on the first shot and cook us alive"

"Better than nothing" Gerik responded as he pulled the Rack on the anti infantry gun the tank carried "At least this works"

At first as Deere got to grips with the controls the tank lurched left and right rapidly

"Who builds a tank with legs" She muttered under her breath

Once she gained full control they made their way out of the warehouse and and slowly down the street.

"Are we sure they won't just shoot us straight away" Kelsey asked as he watched through the sight of the main gun.

"We only need one shot to kill that tank. Hopefully they will be at least distracted long enough to let us have that" Gerik said as they turned the corner into the courtyard with the AA guns

The enemy seamed to pay them no attention at first but then a larger skitarii approached sending out static bursts of binary code and the tank relayed it to the inside.

"Take the shot" Deere said

Kelsey pulled the trigger and the boom of the shot shook the tank. Outside the shell ripped through the enemy tank and blew it to pieces. The rest of the squad opened fire from a flank position and Gerik opened up with the anti infantry gun mowing down a dozen skitarii in quick succession. Kelsey fired a second shot into a group of skitarii hiding behind some heavy containers. Alert sirens went off.

"Ok time to go boys" Deere said as overheat warnings flashed

Gerik pushed open the cupola and threw a smoke grenade out to cover their exit as they climbed down the tank. When they reached the bottom they moved up to the courtyard wall.

"Well that went better than I thought" Kelsey said laughing and watching the tank burst into flames

His laughter was cut short as a robotic monster smashed through the wall crushing Deere and sending the other two flying. The monster towered above them and roared a burst of binary code. It's multiple arms extending each with a different weapon. Kelsey unloaded a full clip into the monster but it ignored the hits and charged at him. He managed to avoid getting cut in half but the blade on one of it's arms cut his foot clean off and he shirked as he collapsed onto the floor. Kelsey down and crippled the monster turned on Gerik who drew the little combat sword he carried and jumped the creature. His first cut hit home slicing off one of his arms but the beast turned and hit him with it's whole body knocking him to the ground and sending his sword scattering away out of reach. Instinctively Gerik grabbed a grenade from his belt and hid it behind his back, priming the charge. The monstrous skitarii stood over him and Gerik rolled over as it brought it's many arms down. It hit the ground not seeing the grenade in time which exploded in it's face. It roared blinded as Gerik grabbed his rifle and shot the thing multiple times in the back of the head and it dropped to the ground a smoking wreck as booms were heard from the exploding AA guns and the rest of the squad emerged. Deere was dead, crushed to death by the large skitarii but Kelsey was alive and the medic was attending to him.

A new monster loomed through the fog. A chainsaw like sword on one arm and a cannon on the other it raised it's weapons at the squad. Before it could fire a massive beam shot through the head of the thing and it collapsed. The squad looked over to see an Estrellan chrome hound mech warrior striding down the road and they cheered as it's horn blasted in victory. Overhead gunships, transports and fighters shot across the sky...

"ready to fire captain" Sylph said waking Gerik from his recollection.

Kelsey had been victorious over the large mechanized soldier and he moved aside with the rest of the sixth as the gun charged and fired. The whole bunker of AA guns exploded after the initial shot from the cannon set off a chain reaction in their munition stores and the whole complex went up in flames.

Aloud boom from the far side of the courtyard was heard.

"Gerik, both gun and AA platforms are destroyed"

"good job brother, Kyros should be close to securing the palace entrance"

Palace entrance

Kyros and the first were meeting little resistance as they expected. Even the more well trained palace guards could not with stand a group of assault terminators. The door had been the biggest obstacle with many of the warriors having to unleash a focused melta blast to get through the thick metal but now they were through and making their way towards the throne room.

The booms from the destruction of the AA guns caused some of the plaster to shake loose from the ceilings and the alarms that had been sounded since their drop were silenced.

" _Captain we have eliminated the security stations"_ Came a vox update

"Good, secure entrances and exits and allow only the primarchs to land" he responded as he shredded a group of enemy soldiers with his storm bolter

" _first captain mother has just landed, Lord Mortarion insists you do not kill the king"_

"affirmative" Kyros said as they rounded the corridor to the imperial throne room

Two pill boxes with heavy guns opened up but the shells barley slowed the terminators who unleashed their heaviest weapons onto the emplacements breaking them open and killing the crews.

Kyros kicked open the double doors to the throne room. Guards from all around opened fire as the king cowered behind his throne. The terminators carefully eliminated the guards being sure to end all resistance, some of the soldiers attempted to rush the terminators but a few sweeps from a power sword ended their attack.

As the last few shell casings hit the ground silence fell over the room. Kyros moved to where the king was crouched behind his throne shaking and he also appeared to have urinated on himself.

"Get up!" Kyros shouted

The king stood slowly arms raised.

"Do you have a sword?" Kyros asked him

"yes but I won't fight anymore" the king responded

"I am afraid you don't have a choice" Alistravia said as she entered with her escort

"Oh so you want to fight me? Because I insulted you?"

Alistravia shook her head.

"no not me...him" she spoke as Mortarion swept into the room

The king fell backwards in panic.

"this is some kind of trick" he said as he grabbed a ceremonial sword off the wall

"no it is no trick. This is my brother Mortarion and he is very unhappy about how you spoke to me but he's been good enough to let you have a weapon" Alistravia responded

Mortarion loomed over the king who limply aimed his sword in the death lords direction.

"you will apologize to my sister before you die" He said as he approached with silence raised

"Never!" the king said and he lunged forward in an attempt to stab Mortarion

The sword however bent as it hit the death lords armor.

"pathetic" Mortarion responded before grabbing the king and pinning him on the ground

Mortarion pulled lantern and aimed at the kings head.

"APOLOGIZE!" he roared

"it makes no difference... you will kill me either way" The king gasped

"true enough" Mortarion said before pulling lantern's trigger and vaporizing the kings upper body "Forgiveness sister. I failed to get you an apology"

"no matter brother, this world is our now and we have eliminated a dangerous xenos species, I think we have achieved all our goals here"

Days later

The imperial fleet assigned to take over arrived two days later and had already begun the process of cataloging the populace and deciding each persons fate. Alistravia had used the chemical formula she developed to clear the fog and the rest of the surface was now habitable.

She had invited Mortarion for one last meeting before they left and he had accepted. They stood together looking out of the meeting rooms viewing port.

"It has as always been enjoyable seeing you again brother"

"The feeling is mutual Alistravia"

"Where will you be going next?" Alistravia asked as they watched several imperial vessels emerge from the warp

"I will see where I am needed" He responded "and yourself?"

"Roboute has been asking me to visit macragge for months so I will head there for now"

"If you ever need me again sister do not hesitate to contact me" the death lord said

"Take care of yourself Mortarion" Alistravia spoke as he moved to leave the room

"And you sister... and you"

Counsel

"I fail to see what this tale has shown us" Jaghati said

Alistravia looked to the khan whose face was a one of confused expression. His top knotted hair seamed to be casting accusing shadows at her.

"The you are not seeing the bigger picture khan" Mortarion responded

"then do enlighten me dear brother?"

"Alistravia has pointed out her reliance on us not only that but she looked to my poison and fire to achieve her goals, something you or any other brother would not of been able to accomplish"

Jaghati narrowed his gaze at the death lord before Alistravia interrupted.

"This campaign would not of been a success without Mortarion, his death guard had doctrine that complimented the foe we faced. No others did"

A banging of a cudgel stopped any further discussion and the arbiter spoke.

"I have allowed this counsel to run later than usual because of the length of this take. In future I would appreciate if you would inform me of such a long story my lady as not all of us can go without sleep"

"In future I will inform you honored arbiter" Alistravia bowed as she spoke

"good then today's meeting is at an end" He said and Banged his cudgel three more times to signal the end

Epilogue

It was a beautiful day. Est had adjusted the planets rotation a few months ago so the planet was warmer and now the sea was at the perfect temperature but that was months ago before the imperial fleet came. They had come peacefully. A large fleet of warships and Mechanicum vessels and at the center a huge golden craft. No shots had been fired and no battle was needed because the moment the fleet came into the Estrellan system they had been broadcasting a request for communication with Estrella's leader. Alistravia had with the councils agreement answered. The man who appeared to her was suited in golden armor and was sat on a throne smiling. His face was familiar and Alistravia couldn't understand why but then she thought of her own Estrellan father and her whole time with him and her mother flashed before her in a tapestry of her early life.

 _She remembered being in a dark tube crying from the awful sound of the water as the pod carrying her shot down into the ocean worlds endless sea._

 _She remembered the scary shadows outside and the noise of something being attached._

 _She remembered the pod door opening and a tall man bending down as if to grab her, out of fear she had recoiled but the man didn't do anything. He just knelt down and smiled._

" _Hey there" He said "are you injured... do you hurt anywhere?"_

 _She remembered shaking her head and as the lights brightened so she could see the man and then she saw his round shaven face and felt safe._

" _Are you hungry?" was his next question and he had pulled a bar of something out of his pocket and offered it to her._

 _She remembered taking it and swallowing the sweet whole. The man had laughed and then offered her his hand._

" _Its ok I won't hurt you"_

 _She remembered his voice so loving and warm._

" _What's your name honey?" he asked_

" _I don't have one" She had responded instinctively some how aware of her situation_

" _Well why don't you come with me and we can make sure your ok" He had responded_

 _She took his hand then he lifted her out of the pod and carried her back through the umbilical to the submarine._

 _She remembered meeting her soon to be mother as she examined her for injuries and the strange conversation they had had._

" _Miles look at her genetic structure it's been modified" The woman had said while Alistravia was sat at a table eating after she had asked for more food._

 _They had scanned her for infections and deformities but found something very different._

" _Oh my" The man had replied "If this is right her her IQ will be through the roof and is that... what is that"_

 _She remembered them hypothesizing about the strange organs in her body._

" _These organs seam to be feeding parts of the body providing growth hormones and this chemical looks like it's coating her bones in some kind of hardening solution" the man had said before looking further over the scans and noticing more organs "And then there's these three that don't appear to have activated yet"_

" _Look at the muscle structure it's almost ten thousand times stronger than any normal human. I don't think she's Estrellan Miles" the woman had said as she looked over the scans_

" _Do you think she she's a Kappa experiment Judith?" he had responded as he looked over at the girl they would take as their daughter and name Alistravia._

" _Who or whatever she is she needs a home" The woman said as she took the mans hand_

 _She remembered the adoption, her mother could not have children. Later she would understand this was a result of the Kappa trying to control the growth of the human population._

 _The memories flashed past quicker._

 _She remembered the day she built her teleporter._

" _Daddy come look" She had shouted as her Father came into the house from work_

" _Ok Alis" he had responded and followed her into her room_

" _Watch dilly" she said as she placed the little sea mouse on a pad and keyed in a sequence of runes. With a flash the mouse was teleported across the room and into his cage._

" _That's amazing" he said_

 _Her mind moved forward again with the images to her mother arguing with one of the strange people from the temple. Alistravia didn't like them, they made her feel unsafe. Her mother told her how an alien race was trying to change their world and she and her father was part of a group trying to stand against it._

 _Then the images moved forward again._

 _She remembered coming home from exploring the ocean but no one was there. The house was turned up side down and her fathers pistol had been fired._

 _She remembered her neighbor telling her the Kappa had come and taken them and then she remembered the feeling of hate wash over her and a rage so strong with it she punched through the solid stone walls that made up her house. Her neighbor had run off slightly alarmed at seeing a human girl only sixteen punch through a wall that was inches thick and designed to withstand earthquakes. Alistravia was stunned by her action but it was as if a lock had been lifted from her mind and now she recognized her true power. She saw her hand heal it's self right in front of her. The cuts disappearing leaving no scars. She had discovered early on she was stronger than the other children but she never imagined this. As the rage started to subside she looked upon the alien temple in the distance. A plan ran through her head and she smiled._

Yes that was why the golden armored man seemed so familiar. He had a warm voice and a gentle face like her father had.

She was surprised when the man agreed to everything she asked. Surprised he agreed that only his golden vessel would be allowed into orbit and the rest of his fleet to remain on the edge of the system watched by her own warships. They had of course detected the other fleet that tried to hide it's self in the nebula just beyond the systems edge and a stealth vessel was sent to shadow the ships with the strange mark of a sword between two wings.

She was surprised when he agreed to only two guards and only asked if he could bring his adviser, a man named Malcador with him which she agreed to.

So it was beautiful day as a craft landed on the surface pad and was lowered down in a sealed bubble. Alistravia stood with the council to one side and her personal guard to another. Kyros had been nervous about her decision to speak to the emperor and his adviser alone but she assured him it would be fine.

The pad landed at the end of the white walkway that led to the palisade. People further in the city had stood and watched but as the surface pad came to rest they went back about their lives. She thought about Carin for a moment. She had just got him to sleep before the signal came through that the emperor was coming. He was in his room right now watched over by an auto-matron nanny that would feed and change him if he awoke while she was out of her quarters.

The landing ramp to the ornate shuttle opened up and the man in golden amour strode forth with a smaller figure carrying a staff by his side and behind them two guards with pole arms also in golden armor followed. They strode slowly and the man who was the emperor looked around at the city as he went. When he saw Alistravia at the end waiting for him he smiled at her and once again that feeling that she some how knew him washed over her.

When he reached her he bowed.

"You have a beautiful city" he said as he looked upon the palisade

Alistravia bowed back as did the council and her guard

"Thank you" She responded "Atlantis is one of many great cities on Estrella and we work hard to look after them"

The man stared at her for a moment like he was lost in a memory and again that feeling of familiarity washed over her.

"While your council is present I must apologize for the actions taken by the Mechanicum against your colony. It was not of my sanction" He said

"We appreciate and accept the apology but let us not dwell on the past, let us look to the future and what we may accomplish together" It was a response layered with diplomacy something Alistravia was not accustomed to but yet she found it easy to find the words.

"You are as wise as you are beautiful" he said and Alistravia blushed a little

She held her hand out indicating the entrance into the palisade.

"Well let us talk shall we"

The emperor followed her up to her quarters which were guarded by two powerful auto-matron constructs and he stopped to examine them for a moment before entering into her room. Sunlight poured in through the open window at the end of the lounge. Atlantis was close to the surface like most of the other Estrellan city's the clear blue surface waters allowed the suns rays to pass through into a device where it was then reflected inward for day and outward for night. Her multiple seats and sofas all decorated in the finest of materials felt warm to the touch as they bathed in the suns rays. The older man with the cane took a seat as the emperor looked out the window. The pod Alistravia had arrived on Estrella in was stood aside the window next to a picture of her Estrellan mother and father. The emperor examined the remains of the pod before picking up the picture.

"Your parents?" he asked

"Yes" Alistravia answered

"Where are they?" From the way he asked Alistravia felt he already knew the answer

"They were killed by a species that attempted to take over Estrella with a cult... or religion depending on your prospective"

"I am sorry to hear that. They look like good people, I am glad it was them who found you and not these xenos" The emperor said and Alistravia felt a twinge of confusion but before she could speak he continued "You were not born of this world were you?"

"No. that pod is all that remains of where I came from. It has never given me any insights but Estrella is where I grew up so it has become my home" Alistravia said as she placed a bottle of wine on the table by the emperors adviser

"So you don't remember anything from before crash landing here?" He asked as he examined the pod again

"My first memory is of being trapped inside the pod and then being rescued by my father and mother" Alistravia responded as she watched the old adviser pour some wine and take a sip

"My goodness that's delicious" he exclaimed as he poured another glass

Alistravia tuned to him.

"Thank you. It's been fermented for years in the bowls of a whale before being extracted... without killing or hurting the animal of course"

Malcador stopped mid drink and slowly lowered the glass

"So this wine is..."

"A waste byproduct of a species of whale" Alistravia said finishing his sentence

Malcador put the glass down as the emperor laughed.

"Next time ask where it comes from before you drink it old friend" the emperor said as he come over to Alistravia and looked down upon her with a sigh "Would you believe me if I told you I was your father and I have been searching for you and your brothers"

Alistravia looked him up and down. He was so large and didn't think it possible but then that feeling of familiarity washed over her yet again. She shook the confusion away before speaking.

"I would require some proof and an explanation"

"What proof do you need, ask and I will provide it" He asked looking down upon her with a smile

"Simple. Est" she said and the AI appeared next to her

" **What can I do for you Arch-Invetress?"** he asked as the emperor looked him over

"Est scan the emperor and myself and see if we are related" Alistravia said

" **Of course Alis but it will take several minutes as I will need to re-calibrate the sensors"**

"Understood" Alistravia said in response and the AI's avatar disappeared

"He calls you Alis why?" the emperor asked

"Alistravia in old Estrellan means princess but it is a rather long name so as a child my friends called me Alis and those closest to me still do today" she responded as the sound of a baby crying came from the other room "Excuse me a moment"

Alistravia exited the room and picked up Carin from his crib before she dismissed the auto-matron nanny.

As she brought him back out into the lounge she noticed the looks on both the faces of her guests. Malcador's was one of amusement and surprise but the emperors was pure shock.

"You have a baby?" he asked his face moving from shock to confusion

"I do" she said cradling the crying Carin "I would of let the auto-matron nanny deal with him but if he can hear my voice and I don't attended to him he gets cranky"

"Who is the father?" Malcador asked

"Oh there is no father" She responded "The Kappa. That's the alien species that tried to take over. They needed to control human population growth so they put something in certain water supplies that sterilized many women but with the help of the bio-medical branch of the science guilds I was able to reverse it"

"But why did you have a child?" The emperor asked

"I saw how happy it made the Estrellan mothers. To be a mother and devote your life to something as my mother did with me and I wanted to experience it" she looked down upon Carin "It's been trying but I would not want the feelings of joy he gives me to ever end"

Est appeared next to them

" **Alis I have finished my re-calibration and scanned both you and the emperor. There is a 99.8 percent chance that he is your father"**

There was silence and Est disappeared as he recognized even as an AI this moment was personal one. The silence was broken by Carin's crying and the emperor took a step forward.

"May I" he said holding out his hands

Alistravia nodded and passed Carin to him who immediately stopped crying.

"Interesting. Normally he doesn't like new people" Alistravia said now nervous about the man holding her son

"I know you have questions so ask" the emperor responded as he cradled Carin

Alistravia asked the most prominent one in her mind and it was the one she had sworn her self to ask if she ever met her real parents.

"Why was I abandoned here?"

"You were not abandoned" The emperor said as he slowly rocked Carin "Your incubation pods were lost during an accident in my lab and scattered across the galaxy"

Alistravia watched him closely carrying Carin.

"I had always suspected I was not birthed. The genetic changes and strange organs are not a natural development of evolution but when you say scattered. What do you mean by that?" Alistravia said trying to get her head around the idea

"You and your brothers were pulled into a portal and then flung across the galaxy in the same realm of space our ships travel" he looked out the window as Carin slept in his arms "Your brother who I found before you was deposited on a forest world but you were deposited here. I do not know the reason but it does not matter anymore" Alistravia could hear the half truth as he spoke and it was something she would look into later

"Why do you use that realm to travel it's dangerous?" she asked and the adviser snapped his head towards her

"And what do you know about it's dangers?" Malcador asked narrowing his eyes

"I know I lost two ships and a lot of good people before I could close the opening. I know the aliens that reside in that layer of subspace are made of energy and not matter and I know that I developed wormhole travel based on the research of an old Estrellan scientist so I never had to go there again" She responded to the menacing look of the adviser

"A wise decision" The emperor said "But I must ask you never to tell your brothers or anyone who is not informed about what you saw. It would scare them to think the realm they use to travel was not safe"

"I can understand that" Alistravia said in response "So how many brothers do I have?"

"Nineteen" The emperor said "They were created to be generals to command my armies to help us reunite humanity and claim it's rightful place in the galaxy"

"And me?" Alistravia asked

"You I made to be the olive branch. To go ahead of your brothers with your legion and look for peace with the worlds still lost to us" he said

"My legion? I already have an army" Alistravia said

"And they will join your legion as astartes. Powerful warriors designed to fight the xenos monsters that live in the galaxy. Right now your legion is aboard my fleet and they will want to meet you" The emperor said as he handed her back the sleeping Carin.

"Ok" She said "Tell me more"

To be continued in part 6: The fists of oblivion


End file.
